New European health data highlights divergences

EU policies and strategies are needed to promote healthy lifestyles, protect healthy living standards and improve prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of diseases in countries that are lagging behind, said Vytenis Andriukaitis, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, and Angel Gurría, Secretary General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, as they jointly released new European health data today (3 December).

In the wake of austerity measures, the coverage of health services and goods has been reduced in several countries and direct out-of-pocket payments by patients have increased, they write in the introduction to ‘Health at a Glance: Europe 2014’. “Policy makers are now facing challenges in ensuring affordable health care for all. Moreover, the crisis, having huge social impact, has exacerbated the unequal geographic distribution of health services and health professionals in many European countries,” they say. Among the key findings, the data show:

Life expectancy continues to increase in the EU, reaching 79.2 years on average in 2012 (82.2 years for women and 76.1 for men) – an increase of 5.1 years since 1990. However, inequalities persist, with a gap of around 8 years between the highest member states - Spain, Italy and France - and the lowest – the Baltic states.

Between 2009 and 2012 health spending in real terms (adjusted for inflation) decreased by 0.6% per year on average. This was due to cuts in health workforce and salaries, reductions in fees paid to health providers, lower pharmaceutical prices, and increased patient co-payments.

Since 2000, the number of doctors per capita has increased in all EU countries except for France, where it has remained stable. The number of practicing nurses has also increased in all but two member states.

There are wide variations across EU countries in waiting times for non-emergency surgical interventions. While some countries have made progress in reducing waiting times over the past few years, in Portugal, Spain and elsewhere they have started to rise.

Patients are increasingly moving across borders to pursue medical treatment. Both imports and exports of health care services have grown in most EU countries between 2007 and 2012.

Smoking rates stand at an average of 22.8% in the EU (2012 data) – a 12% reduction since 2002.

The EU has the highest level of alcohol consumption in the world – an average of 10.1 litres per person. The countries with the highest level of consumption are Lithuania, Estonia and Austria, and the lowest are Italy, Sweden and Malta.

Overweight and obesity is increasing in the EU. 53% of adults in the EU are now either overweight or obese. Obesity affects one in six adults (16.7%) in the EU, an increase from one in eight a decade ago.